Convertible railway freight car



July 30, 1935. c. L. MADDEN ET AL CONVERTIBLE RAILWAY FREIGHT CAR FiledNov. 26, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Charles 1... Madden and July 30, 1935. c.1.. MADDEN ET AL CONVERTIBLE RAILWAY FREIGHT CAR Filed Nov. 26, 1934 6Sheets-Sheet 2 d n, Q n GU R d 12 ALU L1 CA July 30, 1935. c. 1.. MADDENET AL I 2,009,895

CONVERTIBLE RAILWAY FREIGHT CAR Filed Nov. '26, 1954 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 &

o o o 1* \fi v F gvwq/wfmb Char-lee L. Madden and ArH ur J. Herseq IJufiy 30, 1935. c. L. MADDEN El AL CONVERTIBLE RAILWAY FREIGHT CAR 6Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Nov. 26, 1954 ChaHes L. Madden and v Arkhur d4Herseq Jufiy 3%, 1935. c. L. MADDEN El AL CONVERTIBLE RAILWAY FREIGHTCAR Filed Nov. 26, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 L. Madden and Herseq r P mm 8Jufiy 30, 1935. I c. L. MADDEN ET AL 2,009,895

I CONVERTIBLE RAILWAY FREIGHT CAR Filed NOV. 26, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet 65: 55 Charles L. Madden find L 55 49 AvHqur d. Herseq Patented July 30,1935 ITE M T TE a 2,009,895 I g CONVERTIBLE unway FaEIGHToAa Charles L.Madden and Arthur J. Hersey, -Minneapolis, .Minn.

Application Noveniber 26, 19 3 4, Serial No. 754,770 16 Claims. (o1.105-376) Ourinvention relates to improvements in convertible railwayfreight cars, particularly the type of box car having double side doors.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved freight car of thepresent character in which standard practices in general constructionand use prevail and in which traveling par titioning means are employedto divide the car into compartments for the use of individual ship pers.of less than carload lots, another object of the invention being toprovide a freight car, as above, in which the partitioning means may 'beemployed as inner closures for the doorways of the car.

The invention is especially advantageous in its application to theso-called automobile car which has wide and relatively staggereddoorways closed by double sliding doors which meet midway of thedoorways. Although in great seasonal demand, the automobile car is notfavored for general use because of the wide double door constructionwhich is more or less ineffective in protecting the freight from theweather and which presents practical difficulties in the application toa car ofinner. doorway closures as-for the shipment of grain. Throughour invention, the automobile car, like other types of double door cars,is made usable as an ordinary car not only for the shipment ofautomobiles and otherbulky non-perishable freight such as poles, railsand the like, but also for grain and the less bulky freight, even thoughperishable, such as the general run of packaged goods.

In providing one form of convertible car, we employ two travelingpartition members', one member at either side of the car, each memberbeing-movable from one position to another, one position being that ofdisuse against the inner side of the car removed from the doorway, an-

other being a position providing an inner closure in back of one of thetwo doors for the doorway, and still another being a position crosswiseof the car and lapping the companion partition member to divide the carinto two compartments which are individually accessible at both sides ofthe car. I

In providing another form of convertible car, we employ a singletraveling partition movable back and forth from a position of disuseagainst one side of the car to a position dividing the car into twocompartments which are individually accessible, through the doorways atopposite sides of the car. 7 V

In the drawings, Fig. l is a vertical transverse sectional view of.arailway freight carem'bodying one form of'our'inventio'n, said viewbeing taken as on the line l-I of Fig. 2; Fig. 2 is a verticallongitudinal sectional view, taken as. on the line 2-2.'of Fig. 1; Fig.3isa'plan sectional 5 View of the embodiment of our invention shown inFigs. 1 and 2, the partitioning member or panels being shown in fulllines in positions forming a partition acrossthe interior of the car;Fig. 4is a fragmentary plan sectional view generally corresponding witha portion of Fig. 3 and showing one of the partition panels in two ofthe-positions occupied thereby; Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fignfl, thepartition panelbeing shown in still another of the positionsintowhich itis movable; Fig. 6 is a View similar to Fig. 2, the same being avertical longitudinal sectional view of a car embodying an alternateform of our invention in which a single panel constitutes the partition;Fig. '7 is a vertical transverse sectional view ofthe car shown in Fig.6, the same being taken as on' the line 11. of Fig. 6; Fig. 8

is a detail sectional 'view of oneof the car door locks, thesa'me beingtaken as onthe line 8-4 of Fig. 6; Fig.9 is'an elevational view of thelock shown in Fig. 8; Fig.10 is a fragmentary plan sectional view of.the form of our inven- .tion' shown in Figs. ,6 and '7; Fig. 11 is adetail view corresponding withfla portion of Fig. 10, the singlepartitioning panel being shown in retracted position; Fig. 12 is avertical sectional View in detail taken as on .the line I2'l2 of Fig.

l and showing principally a. carrier for a partitioningpanel, a portionof the carriage being broken away to reveal otherwise hiddenconstruction; Fig. 13is a detail sectional view taken as on the line|3l3 of Fig. 12; Fig. 14 is an elevational view in detail of one of thelocks at the bottoin f a partitioning panel; Fig. 15 is a detailsectional view taken on line I5l5 of Fig. 14 and Fig. 16 is aperspective view in detail of a panel shoe. 7 3 f' 7 Reference being hadto, the drawings, it will be seen that the carstructure proper, as shownin both of the illustrated'adaptations of our invention, consists of astandard form of boxcar cons t'ruc'tion having a floor 20,side1walls 2|and a roof 22 supportedby carlines'f23. At the sides of the .car aredoorways 24, each doorway being provided with double sliding doors 25,26 which,when 5 closed, meet at the middle of thedoorwayt The door. 26'of each pair of doors carries a post 21,

which, in-the closed positionfofsaid door, isjreleasably anchored to thedoorway frame in any suia em rm The ogma a e lat v staggered, each beingequally offset from the middle of the car longitudinally thereof. Thedoor 26 of each pair and upon which the post 21 is carried slides towardthe near end of the car upon the opening of said door. Thus, the postequipped door 26 at one side of the car slides open in a directionopposed to that of the post equipped door 26 at the other side of thecar. The two doors 25, 26 of each pair are releasably secured togetherby the conventional hasp lock 28 which may or may not be sealed in theusual manner, it being our purpose to seal the two doors of each pairindividually. Accordingly, we provide a door locking and sealing device29 for each door, the construction of which is shown in detail in Figs.8 and 9. Near the bottom of each of the doors 25, 26 is an outwardlyprojecting eye 39 cooperate to form a car dividing partition.

which is received in an opening 3| of the vertically hinged leaf 32 of ahasp 33, said hasp be'-,

ing secured'to the lower track 34 upon which the door slides. Above theeye 30 is 'a lock pin 35, said pin being slidable vertically on amounting bolt 36 and adapted to be passed through the eye 39 and overthe hasp leaf 32. Thus positioned, the pin 35 keeps the hasp leaf 32 inposition embracing the eye 30 with the result that-the door is held.closed by said hasp. Near its lower end, the pin 35 is formed with asmall transverse bore (not shown) to receive the sealing wire 31 of aseal 38 which is employed to protect the door against being opened byanyone'without authority.

In the form of our invention shown in Figs. 1-5, the car structure issupplied with a pair of traveling partitioning panels 39. Each panel hasan overhead carrier 40 therefor including a rail 4| (Figs. 12 and 13),I-shaped in cross section. This rail structure affords upper and lowertracks at either side of the upright web, said rail being suspended fromcarlines 23 through a number of hangers 42. Mounted on each rail 4| isa-carriage 43 consisting of a frame 44 formed with upstanding yoke arms45 arranged in pairs at the opposite ends of said frame. Mounted on andat the inner sides of the yoke arms 45 are flanged wheels 46, the twowheels of each set rolling between the upper and lower tracks of therail 4| at opposite sides of the web. The rails 4| are correspondinglyarranged at the opposite sides of the car, each being opposite theadjacent portion of its respective doorway 24 which is closed by thepost equipped door 26. Each partitioning panel 39 is swivelly suspendedfrom its'respective carriage 43 by means of an upright hanger stud 41(Fig. 12) revolubly mounted in'the carriage frame 44 at the centerthereof, the lower end of said stud being secured toa hanger clip 48,which, in turn is fastened by rivets 49 tothe panel 39 at its uppermargin near an upper corner of the panel. Near the diagonally oppositecorner of the panel is a shoe 50 (Fig. 16) said shoe having an uprightshank 5| which isriveted to the panel to hold the' shoe in placethereon. This shoe is adapted to ride on and slidably'support the panelat the floor .of the car. I 7,

Figs. 3 to 5 illustrate various positions in which a panel 39 may bedisposed. In Fig.4, one of the panels 39 is shown in solid lines inretracted position flatwise against the'side wall 2| of the car andremoved from the doorway. 24, this being the position assumed by saidpanel when it is not in use. Fig. 5 shows one of the panels 39 inposition that portion of the doorway 24, whichis closed from the outsideby the post equipped dor'26. In'using the panels 'els in its carriageframe.

39, as in the position shown in Fig. 5, they serve as inner weatherdoors and make the car more readily usable for standard shipments of theless bulky perishable freight. With said panels 39 disposed as justmentioned (Fig. the car is also conveniently adapted for use in standardgrain shipments. In such case, the usual grain door boards 52 (dottedlines) would be employed to supplement the panels 39 and provide innerclosure forthose portions of the doorways 24 not covered by said panels.In applying such grain door boards 52 to a doorway, the ends thereof, atthe middle of the doorway, would be snugly received'between the doorpost 21 and the panel 39 and would require little if any nailing. InFig. 3, the panels 39 are shown in solid lines in positions wherein theyoverlap at their free margins and The following provision is made forreleasably securing the partitioning panels 39 in the several abovedescribed positions thereof. Each panel 39 at each corner, except theupper corner attached to the panel supporting carriage 43, is suppliedwith an upright lock bolt- 53 (Figs. 14 and 15) slidably mounted invertically spaced guides 54 riveted to a marginally inset portion 55 0fthe panel. The inner end of each bolt 53 is turned at right angles tothe bolt proper to provide a handle 54 for sliding the bolt 53 toretract it from and project it into locking positicn.- A rafter stay 56for each panel, secured to carlines 23 of the car, is formed with anopening therein (not shown) to receive the end of the projected upperbolt 53 of its respective panel. Two pairs of floor sockets 51, one pairfor the two lower lock bolts 53 of each panel, receive the projectedlower bolts 53 and together with the upper bolts 53 and the carriers 40secure the panels 39 in partition forming relation. The functioning ofeach carrier 49 as a panel securing medium, is brought about by theconstruction shown .in Fig. .12. There it will be seen that a stop block58 is fastened to the rail 4|. One of the wheels 46 of the carriage 43abuts against thisblock, while a spring pressed pawl 59 on'the carriageframe 44 abuts against an opposing shoulder of a camthis construction,the carriages 43 are held immovable in the positions occupied therebywhen their respective panels are disposed in partition forming relation.Thus, the lock ,bolts 53 are assisted by the carriers 40 in securing thepanels 39 in position forming a dividing partition for the car. Eachbolt 53 may be held and sealed in its projected locking position byturning the handle 54 thereof between spaced keeper lugs 6| (Figs. 14and 15) fastened to the panel 39 and by threading the wire 62 of a seal63 through aligned apertures in said lugs. In sealing the lock bolts 53,the panels 39 are guarded against being .moved from their partitionforming position without authority. The lock bolts 53 at the lowercorners of the panels 39 directly beneath the carriages 43 have afunction other than that of securing the panels in place. They alsoserve as lower hinge pins for their respective panels, the axis of eachsuch bolt being in coincidence with the axis about which its panel swiv-In this disposition of said lower bolts 53, the panels 39 may bereleased for free swinging movement into position across the car or backto the sides of the car by simply releasing the upper bolts 53 from therafter stays 56 and the correspondinglower bolts 53 from their floorsockets 51.

- In the partitioning positionof each panel. 39, the hinged margin.thereof overreaches the post 21 of its respective postequippeddoor v26,.It is to be noted, however, that this post equipped door 26, upon beingopened, carries its post 21 away from the panel, wherefore said door 26.as well. as its companion door 25, maybe opened without'being interferedwith by said panel. 1

Upon swinging the panels 39 back to the sides of the car, they taketemporary positions, corresponding with the position of thelpanel 39shown in dottedlines'in Fig. 4, from which temporary positions theyareslid into the previously described closure positions of which anillustration appears in Fig. 5. Prior to the sliding of a panel 39 fromitstemporary position (dotted lines Fig. 4) to its closure position(Fig. 5), the pawl 59 offits carriage 43 is released from the coactingcam stop 60 and the lower hinging lock bolt 53, withdrawn from its floorsocket 51 (Fig. 4). Proceeding with the sliding of the panel, the lowermargin thereof is directed into a channel guide.63 at the floor of thecar, the pawl 59 on the-carriage 43 being at the same time guided into anotch- 64 (Fig. 12) formed between-the facing shoulders of opposed camstops 65, 66 provided at the lower side of the rail 4|. When said pawl59 enters said notch 64, the panel 39 is caught in its closure formingposition (Fig. 5) and held in that position through thecarrier 40 andchannel guide 63 and also through the panel hinging lock bolt 53, suchbolt at such time being projected into a socket 61 (Fig. 4) in the floorof the car. When it is desired to further move the panel 39 intofullyretracted position (solid lines, Fig. 4) the carriage pawl 59 isreleased from the cam stops 65, 66 on rail 4! and the panel hinging lockbolt '53 is withdrawn from its coacting floor socket 61 (Fig. 4).Thereupon, the panel 39 may be slid into'its retracted position ofdisuse. A stop block 68 (Fig. 2) on the rail 4|, like theaforesaid block58 (Fig. 12), limits the retracting movement of the panel 39 and a camstop (not shown) on said rail, similar to the cam stop 60 (Fig. 12)cooperates with the carriage pawl .59 releasably to hold the carriage 43in retracted position against said stop block 68. Thus, the carrier 40at the top and the channel guide 63 at the bottom secure said panel 39in retracted position. 7 M

In the form of our invention shown in Figs. 6, 7, l0 and 11, a singlepartitioning panel 69 is employed. This wide single panel 69 has twocarriers 10, H, the same being generally similar to the carriers 49 inthe form of our invention first described, but differing in somerespects in the form and arrangement of theoverhead rails. In thecarrier 19-, a straight rail- 12 is disposed longitudinally of the cardirectly opposite that portion of the adjacent doorway closed by thedoor25., A single channel guide 13 is arranged at the floor at the samesideand same end of the car as said rail 72. A portion of the rail .14 ofthe other carrier H superimposes the end portion of the channel guide 13remote from theadjaoent doorway, another portion of said rail 14extending across the car. With the carriages 15 of thecarriers Iii, 1|disposed as shown in Fig. 10, the panel 69 is suspended in partitioningposition in'a vertical plane passing through the meeting lines of thedouble doors at the sides of the car. In this disposition of the panel69, each upright margin thereof stands in the reentrant angle betweenthe door and the post 21 on the companion door 125. Either door,herefore. of either p ikm y be opened without interference by the panel69 in its partitioning position. The reach of the rail 14 extendingacross the caris for the greater portion thereof curved in an arc struckfrom the swiveling axis of the carriage 15 of carrier" in thatdisposition of said carriage supportingzthe panel 69 in partitioningposition. The panel 69 is shifted from its partitioning position (solidlines, Fig. 10) into its retracted position of dis-. use (Fig. 11) byfirst swinging said panel intothe position shown in dotted lines inFig.10 and then moving the panel on both rails l2, 14 to fully re1 tractit. In shifting said panel 69 from its retracted intoits partitioningposition; this operation is reversed. The carriages," are releasablysecured to their respective rails", 14 in the said two positions of saidpanel 69, in HIE-883181113411:

her that the carriages 43 are releasably secured to the rails 4| in thefirst described form of our invention. And the lower end of the panel 69is titioning position, by locking bolts 16 as in the cases of the panels39 of said first described form of the invention.

In both of the described forms of our invention, the partitioning panelsmay be retracted into positions of disuse, wherein they offer nointerference with standard practices in the shipment of carload lot freight and,too, in both forms of the invention, the panels may be readily movedinto partitioning position dividing a car into compartments for theshipment byv difierent shippers of less than carload lots, eachcompartment being accessible at either side of the car, but only to itsrespective shipper. In the form of the invention employing doublepartitioning panels, said panels have the additional function ofproviding inner closures for portions of the doorways.

Through our improvement, double door cars may be put to convenient usein the shipment of goods in less than carload lots to the greatfinancial benefit not only of the railroads, but also of those who shipgoods in relatively small quantitles, and such cars may be desirably putto standard uses in the shipment of grain and of the less bulky freightincluding packaged goods even though of a perishable nature.

Changes in the specific form of our invention, as herein disclosed, maybe made within the scope ofv whatis claimed without departing from thespirit of our invention.

Having described our invention, what we claim I as new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is:

1. A car having doorways at its opposite sides oppositely offset fromthe center of the car, each doorway having a pair of horizontallysliding doors meeting midwidth thereof, the door of each pair openingtoward the near end of the car carrying an inset post adjacent itsmeeting edge, two partition panels supported for move ment intopositions of disuse against opposite sides of the car and for movementinto partitioning relation, diagonally of the car, substantially in aplane intersecting the meeting lines of the opposed paired doors, theouter upright margins of said'panels lapping the opposed door posts,each at the side of its respective post facing the far end of the car.

2. A car having doorways at its opposite sides, each doorway having apair of horizontally sliding doors meeting midwidth thereof, one door ofeach pair carrying an inset post adjacent its meeting edge, twopartition panels supported for movement into positions of disuse gainstopp 20' releasably secured to the floor 20 of the car in para site sidesof the car and into partitioning posi-.

tions lapping each other. substantially in a plane intersecting themeeting lines of the opposed paired doors, the extreme upright marginsof said panels lapping the opposed door posts at sides thereof in theclear of said posts.

3. A car having doorways at its opposite sides, each doorwayj having apair of horizontally sliding doors meeting midwidth thereof, one door ofeach pair carrying an inset post adjacent its meeting edge, and apartition panel supported for movement into and out of partitioningposition substantially in a vertical plane intersecting the meetinglines of the paireddoors at opposite sides of the car,'the opposedupright margins of said p'anel'lappi'ng their corresponding door postsat sides thereof inthe clear of said posts.

4. A car having doorways at its opposite sides,

I each doorway" having a pair of horizontally sliding doors meetingmidwidth'thereof, one door of each pair carrying aninset post adjacentits meeting edge, and a partition panel supported for movement into andout of partitioning position substantially in a vertical planeintersecting the meeting lines of the paired doors at opposite sides ofthe car, one upright margin of said panel lapping one of the door postsat the side thereof in the clear of said post.

5. A railway freight car having doorways at opposite sides thereof andhaving double doors for each doorway, two partition panels, twocarriers, one for each panel, each carrier including an overhead track,and a carriage thereon swivelly supporting its respective partitionpanel,

each panel being supported by its respective carrier for movement into aposition against one of the inner walls of the car and for movement intoa position in registry with a portion of said doorway to form an innerclosure membertherefor, and for movement into another position crosswiseof the car to lap the correspondingly disposed companion partitionmember and divide the car substantially in a vertical plane passingthrough the meeting lines of the double doors at theopposite sides ofthe car, and means for securing each of said partition panels in each oftheir said named positions.

6. A-railway freight car having doorways at opposite'sides thereof anddouble doors for each doorway, two partition members, one at either sideof the car, each member being supported for movement into a retractedposition of disuse against the inner side of the car and into a secondposition wherein the partition member forms an inner closure for thedoorway and into a third position crosswise of'the car, wherein it lapsthe correspondingly disposed companion partition member, and togethertherewith divides the car substantially in a vertical plane passingthrough the meeting lines of the double doors at the opposite sides ofthe car, and means forsecuring each of said partition members in each oftheir said named positions. v

.7. A railway freight'car having doorways at opposite sidesth'ereof andhaving double doors for each doorway, two partition panels, twocarriers, one for each panel, each carrier comprising an overhead track,and a carriage thereon swivelly supporting its respective panel, eachpanelbeing supported by its respective carrier formovement into aposition against one of the inner walls of the car and for movement intoartitioning. position crosswise .of the car and lapping thecorrespondingly disposed companion panel to divide the car substantiallyin a vertical plane passing through the meeting lines of the doubledoors at the. opposite sides of the car, and devices for releasably'securing each of said partition panels to the floor of the car, one suchdevice for each panel being a hinging struc ture accommodating swingingmovements of the panel about its swiveling axis.

8. A railway freight car having doorways at opposite sides thereof. andhaving double doors for each doorway, a partition panel, a carrier forsaid panel comprising an overhead track and a carriage thereon swivellysupporting the panel, said panel being movable into a position againstone of the inner walls of the car and into a partitioning positioncrosswise of the car substantially in a vertical plane passing throughthe meeting lines of the opposed double doors, and releasable means forsecuring the panel in its said partitioning position, said meansincluding a lock for securing the carriage to said track and a. loci;forsecuring the panel to the floor of the car, said latter lockaccommodating swinging movements of the panel about its swiveling axis.

9. A railway freight car having doorways at opposite sides thereof andhaving double doors for each doorway,- a partition panel, a carrier forsaid panel comprising an overhead track, and. a carriage thereonswivelly supporting the panel, said panel being movable into and out ofa re tracted position against one of the walls of the car and swingableinto and out of a position crosswise of the car to divide the samesubstantially in a vertical .plane passing through the meeting lines ofthe double doors at the opposite sides of the car, and releasable meansfor securing the panel to the floor of the car, said means accommodatingswinging movements of the panel about its swiveling axis.

10. A railway freight car having doorways at opposite sides thereof andhaving double doors for each doorway, a partition panel, a carrier forsaid panel comprising an overhead track and a carriage thereon swivellysupporting the panel, said panel being movable into a position againstone of the inner walls of the car and into a partitioning positioncrosswise of the car substantially in a vertical plane passing throughthe meeting lines of the double doors at the opposite sides of the car,and releasable means for securing the panel in its said partitioningposition, said means including a lock for securing the carriage to saidtrack and a lock for securing the panel to the floor of the car.

11. A railway freight car having doorways at opposite sides thereof anddouble doors for each doorway, two partition members, one at either sideof the car, each member being supported for movement into a retractedposition of disuse against the'inner side of the car and into anotherposition crosswise of the car, wherein it laps the correspondinglydisposed companion partition member and together therewith divides thecar substantially in a vertical plane passing through the meeting linesof the double doors at the opposite sides of the car, and means forsecuring each of said partition members in each of their said namedpositions.

12. A car having doorways at its opposite sides, each doorway closed bydouble doors meeting between the sides thereof, separate, complementing,partitioning panels supported for movement into positions of disuse atopposite sides of the car and into complementing partitioningrelationship substantially in a vertical plane passing through themeeting lines of the opposed double doors.

13. A car having doorways at its opposite sides, each doorway closed bydouble doors meeting between the sides thereof, separate, complementing,partitioning panels supported for movement into and out of complementingpartitioning relationship substantially in a vertical plane passingthrough the meeting lines of the opposed double doors.

14. A car having doorways at its opposite sides,

each doorway closed by double doors meeting between the sides thereof, apartitioning panel supported for movement into a position of disuse atone side of the car and into partitioning position substantially in avertical plane passing through the meeting lines of the opposed doubledoors.

15. A car having door openings at its opposite sides, each door openingclosed by double doors meeting between the sides thereof, a partitioningpanel rigid in the direction of its width and wider than the car proper,said panel being supported for movement from a position of disuse unobstructing the interior of the car into partitioning positionsubstantially in the plane of the meeting lines of the opposed doubledoors and with the ends of said panel projecting into the opposed dooropenings.

16. A car having doorways at its opposite sides, each doorway closed bydouble doors meeting between the sides thereof, separate, complementing,partitioning panels supported for movement into and out of complementingpartitioning relationship substantially in a vertical plane passingthrough the meeting lines of the opposed double doors, each panel, inits partitioning relationship, extending into its respective dooropening.

CHARLES L. MADDEN. ARTHUR J. HERSEY.

